INFO:
Here is the link for my portfolio for the class WRT 102.
The document is in a much better format then what is represented below due to more space being available, and spacing also being easier to view.
Below is the porftolio itself.
WRT 102 Portfolio
Benedict College, D114
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11794
May 7, 2013
Members of the Portfolio Committee
Department of Writing and Rhetoric
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11790
Dear Members of the Portfolio Committee:
WRT 102-A 2 Intermediate Writing Workshop A is a course which has been instrumental in the development of my writing skills and techniques throughout my Spring 2013 semester here at Stony Brook University. The last fourteen weeks spent in class have taught me how to effectively analyze pieces of literature and write essays based on these works. Among the types of essays touched upon and written for class are as follows: a critical analysis paper, a research paper, a cause and effect paper, a narrative paper, and numerous in class essays to further reiterate the grammar, syntax, and sentence assembly rules covered in class.
As a student who previously had excelled in English courses in high school, my proficiency in manipulating the English language to get my point across could only go up after entering such a course. Essays such as Ed Koch’s Death & Justiceand David McCullough’s speech “You’re Not Special” were extremely stimulating in both thought consideration and writing prowess. Both equally allowed me to build off of previous thoughts to further develop my position on issues such as “what to do when you’re out of high school” and “my position on the institution of the death penalty.” Indeed, though many of the essays read in class I either did not agree with, or was not favorable of the writing style, they still provided a base standard for building upon with my own writing.
As a student who has largely benefited from this class and all it has to offer, I proudly present three works which I feel best represent the growth with which my writing has grown considerably. I am largely thankful that this course had such a significant impact in my writing ability, and will continue to use these essential skills in every paper I write from here on out. Though I am a Biomedical Engineering major, the requirement for an intelligible paper is still a very significant and useful ability in writing lab reports and articles on which I will be writing about the projects I pursue. I look forward to utilizing these skills to my full potential.
Sincerely,
Daniel Gibbons
Danny Gibbons Spring 2013
Writing 102 T/Th2:30-3:50
There are two distinct attributes one may be comprised of in order to be perceived as “good” by spectators of most –if not all- sports. The first of these attributes consists of being born with a trait deemed “natural talent.” This “natural talent” –what many refer to as being “gifted”- consists of an optimal combination of genes inherited hereditarily by an individual which allows them to succeed at a certain task more proficiently than the average human being. In other words, the individual can perform this given task easier than someone born without natural talent. The other component to success consists of hard work, boundless dedication, commitment, and a desire to improve one’s skills. One of these attributes is essential in order to succeed over one’s opponents and/or predecessors. A combination of both is sure to land you in the top tier of competitors. It is, therefore, disheartening, to say that I, a straight A middle school student, who viewed himself as invincible to the world around him, lacked both of these necessary qualities, and failed miserably in the demanding sport known as cross country.
Cross country can be defined as long distance running over varying distances from 3 to 30 miles, and spanning many different terrains and altitudes in all types of weather. It was a spur-of-the-moment endeavor therefore knowing as little as I did, joining the team in 8th grade. A small amount of my male friends flooded the rosters with applications, and because it was a walk-on team, they all made it in. Not wanting to spend the rest of my afternoons following school days alone and bored, I joined the team with the intention of spending more time with friends and to gain the ability to say I belonged to an actual sports team for once in my life. To a certain extent, those aims were accomplished easily. But almost immediately, I was shocked to my core.
“Dear Lord,” I thought to myself. “I’m terribly out of shape!” As a 5’4”, 110 pound male senior in junior high, I was neither overweight nor undernourished. My small stature fit my height and weight perfectly fine. But running distances spanning well over a mile in much more extensive times than I was used to had shown me just how unprepared my body was for sports of such a physically demanding nature. And the absence of natural talent was clearly obvious during team practices by my last place finishes and inability to keep up with the majority of the team. The coach, as I had constantly thought to myself, barely even considered me a threat to opposing runners from other schools. I was ashamed. It made me feel embarrassed, and my heart ached for the acknowledgement and appreciation I was so used to receiving with my prestigious academic grades. To my coach, my fellow teammates, and myself, I was a failure.
“No,” I told myself. “I won’t be the one to bring this team down!” This was to be the first time in my life where telling myself failure was not an option would motivate me to succeed where success had come so easily prior in my life. “If my friends can represent the team so adequately well, than why couldn’t I!” So I pushed myself in practice. I persevered, and ran as fast and as hard as I could, straining my small, heavy legs to keep up with the bounding strides of the faster kids, sweating and panting the entire way. Meets that were scheduled every Tuesday afternoon served substantial purpose in reflecting my work in my resulting race times. Yet, although my body became more accustomed to the task of running long distances, and my stamina most notably increased, I was nowhere near the front of any of the races our team completed. “What was I doing wrong,” I constantly asked myself. “How come I’m not up with the pack?”
As the season came to a close, I had made considerable strides in improving my physical prowess as well as learning how to run as a team, yet I felt like I had gone nowhere fast. My skill increased along with everyone else’s on the team at a similar rate, masking the true progress I had reached. And still, I felt like a complete loser. So I looked ahead, and planned accordingly, because I had not once let life get in the way of succeeding at my goals, and this time would not become the first. Spring track was the next sport that was approaching, and after that, I was determined to make it onto the cross country team in high school. Nothing would stand in my way!
I started the track season off fresh, with a new outlook on the way I’d train. More miles and more time dedicated meant better results in my opinion. And the longer I trained, the better I could overcome my teammates who relied solely on natural talent. I ran extra laps, I ran with better people for motivation, and I never ever cut corners on runs. That season I maintained a first place streak in all but one race. This did little to quench my thirst for victory, however, and as the track season came to a close, I did not hesitate in jumping straight into a strict regime for distance runs and agility training. Over the upcoming summer, I had trainers hand over jewels of knowledge on the most efficient ways of running. I researched stretches and diet plans that effectively kept one’s body in tip top shape for the type of labor I was ready to put mine through. And above all, I ran more miles than I ever had before. The gods themselves could not have done a thing to stop me.
Suddenly, high school began; new teachers, new classrooms, new friends. There was a lot of new stress (albeit positive stress at that, but stress nonetheless) that taxed my body and my mind. However, I made a commitment that I would represent this new cross country team like no one had before. The veteran runners did little to empower my aspirations however, as they outran even my best strides with almost tranquil ease. But that just drove me to push ever harder. Low and behold, of every race I ran at the meets, I came in first for our team every time. But my times were not improving well, as many other runners from other schools still beat me to the finish line, despite my large lead over my own teammates.
Eventually, there was one meet left. The Suffolk County Invitational, where teams from every school in the Suffolk County area would be placing their top seven varsity runners in this one race. I was one of those chosen out of the seven freshmen who would run for our school. The air was thick, and hot, but my water bottle kept by my side up until the starting gun went off. As the stampede of runners went charging over the first hill and down the course, I pushed my body to its limit. My heart beat fast, and my back was covered in sweat. Deep breathing kept my nerves in check, but my mind still flooded with a craving for first place. I passed runners left and right, and my legs flew over dirt and grass with a stride unbroken. Then, the final straightaway arrived. I pumped my arms, drove my knees, and grasped for any last breath I could as I practically dove over the finish line. Weak from exhaustion, I crawled over to where my coach had situated himself to watch the race and sat down. He draped a medal over my neck, and as I looked up to see where it had come from, my eyes came face to face with his pearly grin.
“You made it Dan! 26th place! Out of more than a thousand!” he beamed. I had made it! My work paid off. As I laid my back down on the grass and intertwined my fingers behind my head, I looked up to the sky and thought to myself, “Who needs natural talent anyway...”
Daniel Gibbons
Near the end of the summer, before my junior year of high school, I had taken my aunt up on an offer to take a bus into the city to see her perform in a band she belonged to for some time now. But it wasn’t just any old band you’d see performing at parks or in talent shows; it was the Coast Guard Auxiliary Band, and today was National Coast Guard Appreciation Day. The event was set to take place at around midday in front of the Intrepid museum, and although the heat baked over our scalps until they beat a deep red hue, the band played on underneath their white tent, saturating the air with the music of military marches and anthems to our dear country. Museum-goers, Coast Guard “probies,” long-retired veterans, and even special guests who were invited to sing words of praise to our country’s brave heroes all sang and tapped their foot to the beat as the band played their measures. The band received much thanks from the museum’s event planners, and as the sun receded behind the clouds, we boarded the bus and headed for home. It was at this point that I decided to agree to the opportunity presented to me by so many of my peers on the ride back: I was going to join the Coast Guard Band!
I arrived the following Tuesday evening at a middle school not far from where I lived, and walked in to be greeted by the band director and receive multiple stares from the many band members already seated. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I surveyed the room. I was the only kid! Everyone else looked at least thirty years or older, and choc-full of experience in music I could never hope to attain. I immediately regretted coming, but walked to the back of the room and sat down next to the percussion section, where the section leader, Jimmy, handed me two drum sticks and told me to show him what I knew. I fiddled around with the sticks and clumsily tapped out an erratic beat on the snare set before me. Clearly unimpressed, Jimmy took back his sticks and handed me a large fuzzy mallet. I stared at it, confused, as the sweat rolled down my back , and a lump in the back of my throat formed, preventing me from forming any words at all. I was pointed to an upright bass drum. My potion was understood. Keep the beat.
I returned the next couple weeks, every Tuesday, resuming my position at the bass drum, sour at my lack of adequate ability to play a real instrument. But joining this band was an honor, and an honor I did not take lightly. I represented the tireless amounts of flotillas that guarded our borders and kept our people safe on our own soil. I told myself I’d make these old geezers realize that I was what this band really needed. So I practiced and practiced, thump thump thump went the big bass drum under my hands, the beat reverberating off the seat, the walls, the instruments, and the people. And despite my best efforts to please, the band director had berated me nonstop, criticizing my simple ability to keep time. After all, my job was to keep tempo for the entire band. Apparently, I couldn’t even do that right. Frustration rose in me; and as our first marching performance neared, my enthusiasm dwindled down to almost nothing. I’d never please this community...
My first marching performance came and went. It was a failure in many aspects, all of which drove me almost to tears. I lost beat numerous times, could not keep my feet in line as we marched, and halfway through the parade, my bass drum unlatched itself from mt harness, hit the street, and rolled away! I was so embarrassed I doubted I’d ever go back. But something in me strove to prove the world wrong, and that’s exactly what I would do, no matter the cost. So I went home, and I practiced and practiced, and practiced till I was keeping a “mark time march” in my sleep.
A couple months went by, and the band was invited to perform in the prestigious St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City. “This was my chance,” I thought. “I’d lead this band like no one ever had before.
St. Patrick’s Day came, and as we lined up on a side street in Manhattan, I tightened the straps of my harness and threw back my shoulders. We merged with the rest of the parade already showered in green paper shamrocks as illustrious amounts of glitter and cardboard littered the sidewalks. I marched forward; BOOM BOOM BOOM thundered the drum. We marched and stopped and marched and stopped, and although my arm ached from beating so hard, and the sun made the shirt under my harness slick with sweat, I powered through. We reached the end, and the band leader marched over and grabbed me by the shoulders as she looked into my face. “That was the finest job I’ve ever seen!” she exclaimed, motioning for other band members to help remove the drum from my harness, as I was visibly exhausted and my hands were raw from gripping the mallet so hard. I had done it. I felt relief mixed with satisfaction. But most importantly, I felt accomplished. The director approached me once more before going to tend to the older band members, and promptly said, “I’m real proud of the job you’ve done today. You represented the Auxiliary well. How would you like to play at Coast Guard Appreciation Day?”
Daniel Gibbons
Ed Koch’s essay, Death & Justice makes particularly excellent use of anecdote, refutation, and use of relevant statistics to get his point across as effectively as possible. It is because of these techniques that Ed Koch is able to convince the reader that his opinion is clearly the more viable one. His slightly sarcastic yet confident and experienced tone, his use of rhetorical questions and his utilization of metaphors do much to compliment his already solid base of an argument. This mayor of New York is a sincerely convincing speaker with his mastery over the English language.
Because Koch’s essay begins with the anecdote of two brutal killers begging for forgiveness and pity to save their own life, the reader receives a sense of understanding exactly where the mayor is forming his opinion from first hand. The relation to two true stories starting off the argument before his initial point for the essay is even revealed in the first place leaves a deep impact in the reader from the very beginning. What makes this anecdote twice as effective, however, is the seriousness of the matter referenced so early and bluntly. The reader sees a side of two men you would not normally see on occasion. The interest of the reader is instantly piqued.
To further boost the lasting impacting effect of his essay, Koch not only references real life stories and his own experiences of being fought on the matter, but also backs up his initial opinion freshly imprinted by stating facts and statistics with which he backs up his statement undeniably well. When fighting against the fact of how no other country that has an established democracy uses the death penalty, Koch mentions how the murder rate climbed 122 percent in a matter of seventeen years. Alongside it, the murder rate in New York had increased by almost 400 percent and a study from MIT showed a greater risk of being murdered in an American city than in World War II. Not only are three produced statistics and studies largely instrumental and extremely persuading in establishing Koch’s point, but the fact that these statistics are largely overwhelming and over the top in the numbers recorded does much to back Koch’s support for the death penalty. The first impression left in the reader’s mind after processing these facts is how ignorant to the truth they must have been before being enlightened to these significantly shocking statistics. Those which were referenced later in the essay, such as the amount of prosecuted police homicide murderers who had previous histories of murder, and the shockingly low amount of time served by murderers in the United States do nothing but boost his argument ever higher, effectively shaking the reader’s confidence in the safe justice system they previously believed was so sound.
Koch not only brings up his argument effectively, but shoots down any counterargument raised to oppose him. Truly the sign of a good debater, his essay contains seven solid refutations against common and largely referenced points which the average reader, if undecided prior, could use to make an effective educated decision. He not only tells those who think the death penalty is wrong that they themselves are wrong, but he throws their argument back in their face by painting the possibilities of what would realistically be the case if the death penalty was still in effect. He states that previous presidents openly endorsed it, and that if nothing is done –as nothing has been done in the past evident by another anecdote- then evil will prevail. He turns each argument around, even going so far to say that the death penalty increases the value of human life.
Of the facts stated in his essay, nothing is more stimulating to the mind than a rhetorical question. Koch knows this well, and employs them in his writing accordingly. As he discusses the methods of the two murderers in the opening paragraph, he asks whether “their newfound reverence for life stem from the realization that they were about to lose their own?” Indeed, as the question is put forth, the reader begins to think if the killers did believe their own words, or rather valued their own lives more when the possibility of death loomed upon them. As he describes the massive switch to lethal injection by numerous states at a point in time, he sarcastically asks another rhetorical question; “Did this answer the objections of the death penalty opponents?” Extra impacting is how Koch answers his own rhetorical question directly after. The question used by Koch not only makes the reader re-examine their original opinion, but sway the argument largely in his favor.
Finally, his utilization of metaphors in combination with the tone in which he states his claim is that with which he seals the argument as his. Koch’s statement that he has heard everything there is to hear about death penalty in his 22 years of public service credits him as more than just a reliable source. His tone switches to a tired, yet experienced and largely knowledgeable source who is well aware of the argument he risks bringing up with his quarry. He cites other formidable opponents of his viewpoint such as Adam Bedau who could be seen as a threat to his cause, but uses his superiority in experience over time to refute the argument with which Bedau holds. Koch finishes his grand performance by stating that murder is not a disease, but rather injustice is the disease. His two references to paradox-like situations where by doing nothing, the victim dies twice, and how killing more heightens the value of life are the icing on the cake to make the reader double-take and rethink their initial position.
Ultimately, Ed Koch was one of the most effective public speakers out there, and did a phenomenal job in convincing the public to think otherwise with the use of effective language skills.
Daniel Gibbons
Writing 102
Professor Desmond
T/Th 2:30-3:50
Spring 2013
An average day may go by where you walk down the road, watch TV, surf the web, or even sit in class. Out of the corner of your eye appears an attractive individual, a suggestive photo, or a depiction of someone who peaks your interest. Your blood starts to rush; maybe your palms get a little sweaty. You’re all alone, and in your mind there develops a craving; a satisfaction you can’t quite reach. Something in you demands more, and your mind says now. There must be some way in which you can fulfill this urge. The answer of course, is masturbation. It’s a simple answer albeit, but a concept well convoluted by society and easily shrouded by naivety in the minds of both minors and adults alike. But surely this has been addressed before right? You’d be sadly mistaken if your first thought was yes.
For over 2,000 years the concept has been epitomized in the wrong light, twisted and perverted towards the public by people whose understanding of the topic would not outshine that of a toddler. But why should people suffer for the ignorance of their peers before them? Despite the boundaries and blockades well crossed by media and technology within the past couple hundred years, human civilization is still surprisingly in the dark about such a natural and common occurrence in nature, and continues to hold its doubts about the act as a whole. This widespread misunderstanding and lack of knowledge on the subject is a major problem towards strides in better health, and even prohibits those who do masturbate from maintaining a comfortable lifestyle at the risk of social unacceptability. No more should the coming generations hold their skepticism about whether it is right or wrong, or if it is harmful or beneficial. The real answer is to spread the word through educational means and widespread media, and eradicate the cynicism towards masturbation as best as we possibly can with the resources available to us. In the near future, masturbation shall no longer be known as taboo.
In order to understand just how crucial of a topic this really is, it’s important to understand exactly the definition of masturbation so as to lower the threat level it may appear to emanate, and correctly educate those who have no knowledge of what it actually entails. To masturbate is to self-stimulate ones genitals for sexual pleasure. ("Masturbation." 1) Often the act ends when a single or multiple sexual climaxes are reached. ("Masturbation." 1) Masturbation, being a biological phenomenon found everywhere in nature, has been practiced by humans -and animals alike- for thousands of years. To start, female porcupines have been witnessed employing wooden sticks as dildos. Male kangaroos have also been recorded giving themselves fellatio. (Masturbation Facts and Statistics) Male horses whip their genitals against their stomachs to self-stimulate themselves sexually, and even walruses have been recorded performing oral sex on their own genitals as well. As natural and widespread as masturbation is in the animal kingdom, humanity no longer holds fast to the acceptance they once extended over the deed. Ranging back to 4th millennium BC, carved records and statues were created to chronicle the open policy with which the Roman’s held towards sexuality. (Chatel 2) A significant part of ancient history is even accredited to masturbation. According to ancient Sumerian religion, when one of the Sumerian gods Enki masturbated, the Tigris River was created as his ejaculate flowed to the Earth. (Brame 38-39) Egyptian myths similarly maintain that masturbation from one of their own gods brought humans into existence. (Brame 38-39) As openly as it may have been embraced back in ancient times, records show that, when compared to the rest of human history, this may actually be viewed as the exception.
Indeed, around 1724, published in England and reprinted in the Boston colony was the book Onania or The Heinous Sin of Self-Pollution, And All its Frightful Consequences, in both Sexes. ("Abomination with those of our own Sex" 1) The book was written by an anonymous author and was one of the first warnings published in the American colonies, as well as one of the earliest published in London. It reprimanded those who practiced masturbation, labeling it “self-pollution” and comparing it to “sodomy” which was also deemed as one of the most heinous of sins. ("Abomination with those of our own Sex" 1) It is at this point in time through which religion starts to condemn those that take forth in the habit. Religion -having much more sway in the daily events which transpired back in the 16th and 17th century for most people than it does today- shaped and formed the attitude with which the public held any practice with ease. Common daily myths in masturbation include: the possibility of causing the masturbator to go blind or insane, causing mental illness or instability, making him or her gay, causing hair to grow in unnatural places, stunting growth, or causing infertility. ("Masturbation." 1)
Many of these myths were developed from past misconceptions where such phenomenon that were unexplainable -due to the lack of medical knowledge back then- were blamed on activities that were supposedly frowned upon by God. It was widely believed that one should feel shame and embarrassment for masturbating, leading to the treatment of self-sexual stimulation as taboo. Entering present day, the treatment of masturbation has changed dramatically, evident by the many adult pleasure stores which sell products to enhance one’s masturbation experience, and the exponentially growing amount of sexually suggestive material that is at access to the world through the internet. Despite the assimilation of a population with a widely more accepting mindset, the ridiculous myths referenced prior have still managed to embed themselves into the intellects of today’s youth as well as its adult population. Furthermore, the Christian faith, -particularly Roman Catholicism- though not as intensely as it used to, still condemns masturbation as a sin, teaching the belief to adolescents and congregants of services. It is this selective ignorance with which society needn’t have to expose itself to.
My proposition in order to combat this obliviousness would include offering more informative classes to adults who harbor doubts, insecurities, and falsehoods about masturbation which no doubt spreads to their children when avoided improperly. A policy that includes a more accepting attitude towards self-stimulation would need to be put into effect to ease the tension associated with it. The association of embarrassment and shame with revealing and taking part in self-sexual practices would be eased out with a better nature, and any myths previously held would publicly be put to rest. Commercials and ads that advertised sexual help classes specifically on this nature, as well as a hotline that could answer specific questions, or even instill a sense of security within the caller would be very helpful. Encouragement of masturbation to any age group that presides after sexual maturity would alleviate tension and confusion of any individual who may be doubtful of society’s opinion towards his own self-sexual preferences. Just like a campaign in the U.K. where planes dropped leaflets around the country encouraging kids to masturbate for a healthier sexual lifestyle, the same treatment elsewhere in the world –such as the United States- would be largely beneficial to the younger generations. Any measures that would promote masturbation would aid in the goal most worth reaching. Specifically, I propose that sexual education classes in American schools spend more time on this aspect of sexual health. Educational reform in the health department for grade schools would be largely instrumental in this.
Yet opposition to these goals would include most notably the violation of the word of the Bible itself. While this may at first seem like the most significant counterargument, the New Testament “does not explicitly condemn the practice by name”, and no specific mention of masturbation as a sin is recorded in words. (Jackson 1) Indeed, the translation of the Bible itself may vary greatly, as some people associate “fornification” with masturbation even though the two vary greatly due to the number of people involved. But if the translation of a passage can be interpreted to condemn masturbation, so to can it be translated alternatively to allow it or describe an entirely different practice in its place.
Another refutation towards my aims would be the assertion that masturbation can’t be all healthy. On the contrary, it is entirely harmless, very healthy, and beneficial in numerous ways. (Coon and Mitterer 371-372) Of the many benefits that masturbation offers, a few include: improved sleep, reduced stress, enhanced sexual experiences, improved self-esteem, reduced menstrual cramps and muscle tension, strengthened muscle tone, increased chances of an orgasm, and reduced risk of prostate cancer or cervical infections. ("Masturbation." 1) (Masturbation Facts and Statistics) Most significant of all though is the fact that it is the safest type of sex there is, with no risk of contracting STDs or any displeasure caused by a significant other. If one still holds doubts about the health benefits, other studies reveal facts such as: masturbation helps relieve urinary tract infections, masturbation is associated with improved cardiovascular health and a lower risk of type-2 diabetes, and masturbation relieves head and muscle pain in the body and can help work against insomnia naturally through hormonal and tension release. (Levine) To retaliate, many may state that masturbation can be addictive. As addictive as it may be, there is no harm in masturbating more than once or twice a day. The only harm that can be caused by masturbation is if the habit prevents one from functioning properly in a daily schedule, or overstimulation causes irritation through lack of lubricant against the skin. Both of these minor worries can easily be avoided with the introduction of self-discipline or self-control and natural or synthetic lubricant easily bought at any convenience store.
If someone is still persistent in proving the practice morally wrong, the accuser may turn to the fact that there is no need to institute the acceptance of the trend if the habit is so infrequent. The trend is actually very frequent though among all humans, whether they admit to it or not. Coon and Mitterer’s book reveals that, in a national survey, 89 percent of women who took part in it revealed that they had masturbated at some time where 95 percent of men revealed the same fact. (Coon and Mitterer 371-372) Even babies, young children, and adolescents explore their changing bodies and discover early on that touching the genitals returns a pleasing feeling. ("Masturbation." 1) I conducted a study by posting three polls created by myself on the internet over a three day span with the intent on studying the behavior and thought process of modern day college students or those about to enter college. My first study showed that, of the 41 people who took the poll, 27 percent responded that they masturbate two or more times a week; equally another 27 percent stated that they also masturbate once a day. (Gibbons "How often do you masturbate?")The third highest statistic on the graph was the amount of people who maintained that they never masturbate, encompassing 12 percent of the people who took the poll. (Gibbons "How often do you masturbate?") The final significant numbers relevant on the poll were 10 percent of the voters who stated they masturbate at least once a week, and another 10 percent who masturbate two or more times a day. (Gibbons "How often do you masturbate?") My second poll dealt with the attitude held by college students towards masturbation. A whopping majority of 57 percent of the 37 total who voted in the poll agreed that masturbation was a good and healthy habit in a human lifestyle. (Gibbons "What is your opinion about masturbation?") The next two significant numbers were 16 percent and 14 percent relating to people who thought it was just good or did not have an opinion respectively. (Gibbons "What is your opinion about masturbation?") Only 8 percent stated they were ashamed of themselves for masturbating, and a whopping total of only 3 percent maintained that it did not feel pleasurable to them. (Gibbons "What is your opinion about masturbation?") My third and final poll revealed the attitude towards masturbation in a relationship, where 72 percent of voters maintained that it was perfectly fine to masturbate when in one. (Gibbons "What do you think about masturbation in a relationship?") 11 percent maintained that those urges should be taken care of by their significant other, and the rest of the voters did not hold a position in either direction. (Gibbons "What do you think about masturbation in a relationship?") Overall, these studies showed that the knowledge and frequency of masturbation is vastly increasing in the world of teens and young adults, and is indeed more common than not to masturbate on a daily or weekly basis. The off-limits boundary placed around the subject by society however has increased the insecurity in relevance to the issue, as I was asked numerous times if the surveys were anonymous prior to a handful of people submitting their votes. Therefore, the necessary societal alterations are indeed required.
While the previously stated facts may be very true, one may bring up that their freedom to choose what to do with their body should not be violated by the desires of others, or by expected standards of society. Fully understandable, the suggestions with which I present to the public are not those with which one would be restricted to follow. On the contrary, they are purely a matter of choice whether to partake in masturbation or not, with no loss resulting from either option. I interviewed a friend who I had addressed the predicament to and requested his feedback as to why or why not he masturbates. (To protect his identity, he will be referred to as Victor.) When asked if he partook in the habit of masturbation, Victor responded that he did not due to the fact that he felt no need to please his body, as the urge had never previously arisen. His minimal knowledge of self-stimulation and reluctance to talk about any self-indulgence previously undertaken further emphasized why society needed change however. After his response, I had enlightened him to the many health benefits he previously had no knowledge about. Subsequently, Victor still conferred with me that his choice to remain abstinent in the face of masturbation remained due to his own sexual preferences. His opinion and acceptance of it towards others who partake in the practice changed dramatically however, viewing masturbation as natural and acceptable instead of just a dirty habit. (Abhishek) As is fully recognized, his freedom of choice was respected and entirely taken into consideration, representing an open attitude with which society should further develop instead of blindly following the majority who may choose to masturbate. His swayed opinion however shows that education towards the topic is still widely needed, as understanding is clearly not uniform enough in the world.
All in all, a higher social acceptance and a better educated community can contribute widely to a healthier lifestyle. With little effort to learn the facts and to educate the community through open source lessons or classes, everyone can benefit, and the road to a better world is just around the corner.
Works Cited
Abhishek, Parekh. 28 Apr 2013. Apr . Print.
Brame, Gloria G. The Truth about Sex, a Sex Primer for the 21st Century: Sex and the Self. 1. British Columbia, Canada: CCB Publishing, 2011. 38-39. Print.
Chatel, Amanda. "5 Facts You Didn't Know About Masturbation." (2012): 2. Web. 30 April 2013. <http://www.yourtango.com/2012152324/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-masturbation/page/2>.
Coon, Dennis, and John O. Mitterer. Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior. 12th. Belmont, California: 2010. 371-372. Print.
Gibbons, Daniel. "How often do you masturbate?." 21 Apr 2013. PollCode, Web. 7 May. 2013. <http://poll.pollcode.com/peibz_result?v>.
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